Electrolytic apparatus.



Patented May 5, 1914.

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ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED s32; 23, 1911.

Patented May 5, 191 4;

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WAFLAF'IAFIAFIAFI 5] mm wto z 85 a i/Z/mm 17mm 1 14 Win 1% Q U 6 E WILLIAM THU'M, OF HAMMONR INDIANA.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September as, 1911. Serial No. 650,935.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM THUM, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hammond, in the county of Lake and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful "Improvements in Electrolytic Apparatus, of which the following. is a specification.

The invention relates to electrolytic apparatus, and more particularly to means for supporting the anodes and cathodes employed in electrolytic operations.

It has for its object to so arrange the apparatus that the weight of anodes and cathodes will not be borne by the tank containing the electrolyte for the said electrodes,

but will be supported entirely independently thereof. The tank for the electrolyte may, therefore, be of much lighter construction than the usual form of tank, which is de signed to support the electrodes as well as conductors for the same. Being thus relieved of this considerable weight, the usual metal lining of the tanks may for many purposes be dispensed with and, if desired, a non-metallic, acid resisting lining such as asphalt, paratiin, tar, etc., or a simple calking, or a tightening of the planking or stares with rods or hoops, where wooden tanks are employed, may be substituted therefor. "Vith the improved construction, the function of the tanks is merely to retain the electrolyte and anode slimes.

The nature of the invention will behest understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawingsfin which Figure 1 is an elevation of'two ad acent tanks suitably supported, and of the supporting frame-work for the electrodes, one tank being shown in section to display an electrode shown as an anode of the usual type. The other tank is shown with such anode in position as well as an approved type of cathode contact and supporting rod. Fig. 2 is a plan view, with electrodes removed. Fig. 3 is a side elevation. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a number of. adjacent tanks illustrating the manner of suspending the electrodes. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one form of tank construction which may be employed in connection with the improved app'aratus. Fig. 6 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of tank.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 45 of the draw- Patented May 5, 1914.

ings, 10 designates aplurality of piers of concrete or other suitable material and arranged to support stringers 11, the said stringers resting upon interposedpieces of insulation 12 of glass or other suitable insulating m-ateriaL Uprights 13 are supported by the stringers above the respective piers along the front and the rear of the same,rand carry at their top bearing bars 1.5.- These stringers, uprights and bearing bars form a series of adjacent compartments through which pass transverse beams 16 adapted to sup-port tanks 17, 18, etc, one tank as rule being arranged within a compartment. These tanks preferably rest upon insulating blocks 19, held in boards 20 placed across the said beams. An aisle 21 may be provided between. various sets of tanks by nailing planks over the beams 16. Suitable pans 22 may be hung from the said beams 16 to receive and carry ofi" any dripp-ings from the tanks 17, 18, etc., containing the electrolyte. The frame construction hereinbefore described may be gtliffene d and braced bystruts 23 and boards The bearing bars may carry conductors 25, 26, 27, etc, in case the arrangement of the electrodes is to be according to the multiple system. The conductors 25 and27 will then occupy the outer portion, and the conductors 26 an intermediate portion oftheir respective bearing bars. Adjacent to the conductor 25 and supported by its bar,

is arranged a strip of insulation 28 occupying the inner portion of said bearing bar; and, similarly, a strip of insulation 29 is arranged adjacent to conductor 27 along the inner portion of its bearing bar. Upon the sides of the conductor 26 are strips of insulation 30.and 31. The anodes 32 and cathodes 33 are arranged, as shown in Figs.

1, 3 and 4, to rest upon these conductors and strips of insulation, as is well understood, and are thus supported through the uprights 13 and stringers 11 by the piers 10.

The tanks being thus relieved of the entire weight of the electrodes and supporting merely the electrolyte and such part of the anode slimes which fall ofi from-the anode, may be of much lighter construction. For

tank 40 may also beemployed, as illustrated in Fig. 6; and the same may be provided with inlets 41 and outlets 42 arranged transversely to the conductors that is to say, in such a manner that the circulation is directed to cause a stream of electrolyte to flow through the spaces between the elec-. trodes (not shown) and not at right angles to the electrodes as is the usual practice. After removing the electrodes, the tanks may be bodily lifted from their respective compartments by means of suitable cranes (not shown). The construction herein set forth effects a considerable saving not only in that the'actual Wear on the tanks is materially reduced, but because the tanks themselves may be of much lighter and simpler construction, the heavy electrodes being supported by a substantial and permanent frame Work. Although the electrodes shown and described are arrangedmccording to the socalled multiple system, the tank construction herein set forth is of course equally suitable for electrodes arranged according to the series system in Which all of the electrodes are so suspended into the electrolyte as to dispense with all contacts, with the exception, of course, of the contacts to the end electrodes of each tank.

It is further to be understood that the present invention is not limited to any particular material employed in the construction of the tanks and supporting structure; and, furthermore, that the arrangement of the tanks themselves may be other than that shown, for example, in terraces, etc.

I claim 1. In an electrolytic refining apparatus; a suitable tank of strength suflicient merely to support an electrolyte and anode slimes; a plurality of electrodes adapted to dip into the electrolyte; and means to individually support said electrodes independently of said tank and at both sides thereof.

2. In an electrolytic refining apparatus; a suitable tank of strength suflicient merely to support an electrolyte and anode slimes; a plurality of electrodes adapted to dip into the electrolyte; and means to removably and individually support said electrodes and in dependently of said tank and at both sides thereof.

3. In an electrolytic refining apparatus; a frame Work' providing a' plurality of compartments; suitable tanks of strength suflicient merely to support an electrolyte and anode slimes, and Within the respective compartments and supported by said frame work; a plurality of electrodes adapted to dip into the electrolyte, each of said electrodes being supported independently of said tanks by both of the sides of said compartments.

4. In an electrolytic refining apparatus; a frame Work providing a plurality of compartments; suitable tanks for an electrolyte and Within the respective compartments and supported by said frame Work; conductors and insulating bars carried by the sides of said compartments; and a plurality of electrodes adapted to dip into the electrolyte,

said electrodes resting upon the said con-' ductors and insulating bars.

5. In an electrolytic refining apparatus; a frame Work providing a plurality of compartments; suitable tanks of strength suiiicient merely to support an electrlyte and anode slimes, and Within the respective compartments and supported by said frame Work; conductors and insulating bars carried by the sides of said compartments; and a plurality of electrodes adapted to dip into the electrolyte, said electrodes resting upon the said conductors and insulating bars.

Signed at Hammond, in the county of Lake, and State of Indiana this 21st day of September, A. D. 1911.

WILLIAM THUM. Witnesses:

FRED J. GOS/ILIN, JOHN N. BECKMAN. 

